Auburn-based Tahoe RF Semiconductor Inc. announced this week it was awarded a Small Business Innovation Research grant by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., to develop a miniaturized chip for spacecraft.

The chip will allow improved signal sensitivity to track craft above space-based global positioning system navigation systems. Most GPS is used to make earth-bound measurements. The new chip will allow NASA to more precisely track items in orbit, both in geostationary earth orbits and in highly elliptical orbits.
"Tahoe RF continues to demonstrate its leadership role in the development of next generation GNSS systems and technologies. In this innovative product, Tahoe RF has combined its two core strengths -- proven GPS design expertise and ability to support beam steering and beam forming in the RF IC. Tahoe RF is looking forward to transition this product into the upcoming NASA missions," Tahoe RF CEO Irshad Rasheed said in a statement.

The core team at Tahoe RF boasts some of the innovators of Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit technology. That technology enables the existence of multiple products, from Bluetooth headsets to global positioning systems.

The technology is vital to guidance, positioning and security systems, which is especially significant to the military and NASA.

The 2002 startup provides components which that can withstand radiation of being in orbit.

Electro-optic modulation at frequencies of 100 GHz and beyond is important for photonic-electronic signal processing at the highest speeds. To date, however, only a small number of devices exist that can operate up to this frequency. In this study, we demonstrate that this frequency range can be addressed by nanophotonic, silicon-based modulators. We exploit the ultrafast Pockels effect by using the silicon–organic hybrid (SOH) platform, which combines highly nonlinear organic molecules with silicon waveguides. Until now, the bandwidth of these devices was limited by the losses of the radiofrequency (RF) signal and the RC (resistor-capacitor) time constant of the silicon structure. The RF losses are overcome by using a device as short as 500 µm, and the RC time constant is decreased by using a highly conductive electron accumulation layer and an improved gate insulator. Using this method, we demonstrate for the first time an integrated silicon modulator with a 3dB bandwidth at an operating frequency beyond 100 GHz. Our results clearly indicate that the RC time constant is not a fundamental speed limitation of SOH devices at these frequencies. Our device has a voltage–length product of only VπL=11 V mm, which compares favorably with the best silicon-photonic modulators available today. Using cladding materials with stronger nonlinearities, the voltage–length product is expected to improve by more than an order of magnitude.

In this study, we demonstrate for the first time an integrated, silicon electro-optic modulator with a 3-dB bandwidth larger than 100 GHz. The device has a voltage–length product of VπL=11 V mm, which is the smallest reported value to date for a high-speed silicon-based modulator. Our modulator exploits the linear Pockels effect, offers capacitances per device length as small as 100 fF mm−1, 13 and has a parasitic resistance of several GΩ.

The optically nonlinear polymer M3 (commercialized by Gigoptix, see Ref. 19) was spin-coated at 3000 r.p.m. for 30 s and poled at 167 °C for 3 s in a high vacuum (10−4 mbar), thereby obtaining an electro-optic coefficient of r33=18 pm V−1, which corresponds to a π-voltage of Vπ=22 V. The material M3 has been successfully tested by Telcordia.20 The fiber-to-fiber insertion loss of the device was (21±2) dB, 10 dB of which are attributed to the couplers21 and 11 dB to the remaining 2.6-mm-long waveguide, which is comprised of tapers, strip-to-slot converters22 and the strip-load slot waveguide. By comparing the loss of the waveguides on the same chip having different device lengths (cut-back method), we estimate the insertion loss of of the 500-µm-long device to be less than 2 dB. Activating the gate field increases the fiber-to-fiber insertion loss by (3±1) dB. This corresponds to an additional ~0.5 dB for the 500-µm-long device (assuming that the excess loss is constant along the optical waveguide).

With an earlier device generation,15 which had a similar π-voltage but a smaller bandwidth, we previously demonstrated a 42.7 Gbit s−1 data transmission rate with a bit error ratio of less than 3×10−10. The current device is expected to support on–off-keying data rates of up to 140 Gbit s−1. Furthermore, the half-wave voltage of Vπ=22 V can be reduced by a factor of 10 in future device generations as we recently demonstrated.

We have demonstrated the first silicon hybrid phase modulator with a 3-dB bandwidth of at least 100 GHz. Using a gate voltage, we created an accumulation layer to reduce the resistance of the connecting silicon region between the electrodes and the optically active region. This reduces the RC time constant to a value where it does not limit the device’s bandwidth. Our device is very short (500 µm) and has a voltage–length product as low as VπL=11 V mm, a value which strongly competes with state-of-the-art, high-speed silicon modulators. The use of materials with a stronger nonlinearity can further improve this value by an order of magnitude.

GigOptix (NYSE:GIG) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in May. As of May 30th, there was short interest totalling 111,275 shares, a decline of 36.4% from the May 15th total of 174,991 shares, Analyst RN reports. Currently, 0.4% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 135,067 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.8 days.

GIG has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Analysts at Sidoti initiated coverage on shares of GigOptix in a research note on Thursday, April 10th. They set a “neutral” rating on the stock. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. The stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy”.

Shares of GigOptix (NYSE:GIG) opened at 1.44 on Thursday. GigOptix has a one year low of $0.90 and a one year high of $1.98. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $1.45 and a 200-day moving average of $1.59. The company’s market cap is $45.3 million.

GigOptix (NYSE:GIG) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 1st. The company reported ($0.02) earnings per share for the quarter, beating the analysts’ consensus estimate of ($0.03) by $0.01. On average, analysts predict that GigOptix will post $-0.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

GigOptix, Inc (NYSE:GIG) is a supplier of semiconductor and electro-optical component products that enables high-speed end to end data streaming over optical fiber and wireless telecommunications and data-communications networks globally.

Avi is chairman of the board and CEO. That's all you need to know. How are shareholders going to have any influence when he controls everything? It would take a huge group of shareholders to force any change.

Agree as my interest in the company and stock wanes. Over time GIG has become a smaller and smaller portion of my investment portfolio and remains a turd. The only reason I haven't dumped everything is it just doesn't matter at this point if it goes to zilch. Hopefully Avi will pull his head out soon and show some profitability or I believe he will be shown the door by means of a hostile takeover or a shareholder revolt regardless of the poison pill. He may as well sell to ALU and go work for them but I think he is trying to pad his pockets with as much dough as possible prior to the event.

Man you got it bad. Posting on Sunday and Mother's day about things you know nothing about because you have a huge case of sour grapes after losing so much money being a sucker to hype and hope.

I'll give you one shot before I drop the hammer on you to explain yourself on how they "gave away" anything. I'll wait for your response. If I don't get one I'll know you are clueless on the business deal between GIG and CpQD.

Here is a hint: Zero production costs and R&D expenses while reaping all of the benefits from product sales.

“We are also encouraged with the early results from the BrPhotonics joint venture,” Katz said via the press release. “This quarter we expect to receive an initial purchase order for a silicon photonics component from a Tier 1 OEM that would include first samples to be delivered by year- end. We are pleased with BrP’s silicon photonics progress to date, which is backed by strong technology from GigOptix and CPqD and Brazilian government support.”

Wow, looky looky, STUPID can cut and paste. Good job! Do whatever makes you "feel" good. They teach remedial math at most community colleges. You should sign up after taking another campground management course.

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